Detective Daugherty examined the evidence.
“Why come forward now, Ms. Morales?” he asked.
“Because I mistook sacrifice for love,” I replied. “Protecting guilty people only gives them another innocent person to hurt.”
Two days later, I invited my family to dinner using a new phone number.
“I want us to make peace,” I texted them. “You’re the only family I have. Please come to my apartment tonight.”
My mother answered almost immediately.
“Of course, sweetheart. We always believed you would make the right choice.”
I arranged an elegant catered dinner with uniformed servers, steaks, and a beautiful cake. At exactly eight o’clock, the doorbell rang. Abigail entered first, crying as she wrapped me in a tight embrace.
“My child, we missed you so much,” she sobbed.
Lawrence slowly looked around the luxurious apartment, his eyes gleaming with greed.
“It’s wonderful,” my father said. “I always knew you were destined for success.”
